No Lance Franklin, no worries for Sydney Swans as league leaders hold off Essendon
NO Buddy Franklin, no worries for the Sydney Swans. The league leaders hold off Essendon in a scrappy affair at the SCG.
No Lance Franklin, no worries.
The Sydney Swans overcame the late withdrawal of their star forward with knee soreness and a persistent Essendon to win by 22 points at the SCG last night.
A crowd of 36,804 braved the wintery and windy conditions to see the Swans rebound from their loss to Hawthorn last weekend to notch their 13th win in the last 14 games.
It was a victory which had professionalism stamped all over it.
The Bombers had everything to play for as they fight for a spot in the final and came to the SCG with three wins in a row.
Sydney were coming off a six-day break and an energy-sapping match against the Hawks but weathered the storm to see off the well marshalled challenge with a cool heads and hard work.
The lions’ share of the hard work came from Luke Parker, who rebounded from a quiet game against Hawthorn to produce a dominant display with 35 possessions, including 18 contested.
Ben McGlynn was also in great touch with 25 disposals and two very important goals.
Josh Kennedy continued his great season with another excellent display as did Nick Malceski who also came back well from a quiet game against the Hawks.
The often unheralded Heath Grundy took on the dangerous Jake Carlisle and held him to just one goal and 11 disposals. Carlisle had kicked 12 goals in the last two matches.
Kurt Tippett was well held by Cale Hooker but still managed to kick two goals and will be better for another game under his belt.
Adam Goodes kicked two goals as well including the sealer in the last quarter and has surely done enough to earn another year in red and white.
The news that Franklin was out was a huge relief for Bombers fans with the star forward often saving his best for them. In his 11 games against them (10 as a Hawk and one as a Swan) he had kicked 55 goals at an average of five per game.
His replacement was debutant Tim Membrey, who has been a prolific goal-kicker in the Swans reserves where he has booted 94 goals in his 37 games in the NEAFL.
There was no Franklin but the Swans found avenues to goal through Gary Rohan, Mike Pyke, Josh Kennedy and Sam Reid to lead by 26 points at the first break.
Goodes could have added another until umpire Ray Chamberlain did his bit to influence the match by overruling the umpire who had paid Goodes a mark 30 metres out from goal.
A Goodes turnover cost the opening goal of the second term before he redeemed himself late on in the second term to push the lead to 28 at half time.
The Bombers went to school on the Hawks’ win over the Swans last week and stretched Sydney through the middle of the ground to kick three unanswered goals and close within 10 points.
Patty Ryder was looking a handful for the Ted Richards as he kicked his second but missed one he should have kicked and late goals to Tippett and McGlynn stretched the lead back to 20 points with a quarter to play.
The first goal of the last term was vital and Dyson Heppell provided it for the visitors.
A free kick and conversion from Goodes was enough to see the challenge off.
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